Residential Solid Waste Rate Update 2024
An affordable five-year plan to sustain reliable services,
protect public health, and keep Fresno clean.
Frequently Asked Questions
About the Solid Waste Management Division
More than curbside pickup.
The Solid Waste Management Division (SWMD) is part of the City of Fresno Department of Public Utilities (DPU). The Division provides weekly solid waste, recycling, and green waste/organic material collection services to approximately 119,000 residential accounts through 256 weekly routes within the City of Fresno.
SWMD also provides the following community services:
- Operation Clean Up, the annual bulky items collection service for residential customers
- Free Dump Days on six weekends per year at the Cedar Avenue Recycling and Transfer Station
- Citywide Litter control activities
- Recycling education and outreach programs
- Free shred events
- Post-closure maintenance activities and projects at the Fresno Sanitary Landfill.
Who SWMD Serves
Homeowners and residents who live in homes up to the size of a fourplex receive trash and recycling services from SWMD.
Businesses and apartment buildings are served by private waste haulers.
If you have a gray, green, or blue cart with a City of Fresno logo on it, you receive services from SWMD.
The Need to Update the Residential Solid Waste Rates
The Solid Waste Management Division operates from an Enterprise Fund, which is separate from the City’s general fund. SWMD can only charge customers for operations and services provided. The Division’s revenues are primarily generated through user fees and charges for service to residents. The previous solid waste rates were last updated in 2009. Over the last decade, the number of residential accounts serviced by the Division has grown by approximately 16%, while revenues have not kept pace with account growth, only increasing by 14%.
Overall operating costs have also outpaced the revenue generated from the added accounts. For example, labor costs have increased by 22%, fuel costs are up 71%, and fleet maintenance costs have increased by 52%. These increased costs have forced the Division to operate in a budget deficit since 2015. This reality has forced the Division to defer needed vehicle replacements, employee hiring, and capital projects to help preserve the budget and stretch the operating reserves. Current estimates project the operating reserves fund will be depleted before the end of fiscal year 2024. Continuing to operate in this manner is not fiscally sustainable, and a rate update is needed to reestablish the Division’s financial health.
New Monthly Rates for Three-Cart Service
The Solid Waste Management Division provides weekly solid waste collection services for City of Fresno residents living in single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes. The Basic service level is for the collection of three 96-gallon carts for green waste/oranics, trash, and recycling. The new Basic service rate is $30.87 per month, beginning July 1, 2024. The following table shows the proposed updated rates for the next five years. Each rate change will take effect on July 1 of the respective year.
| Service Level | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 | FY 2029 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 96-Gallon Solid Waste Service | $30.87 | $35.30 | $38.70 | $41.99 | $45.24 |
 | $ Change | $4.63 | $3.20 | $3.29 | $3.25 |
The Division offers the Alternate service level of 96-gallon carts for green waste/organics and recycling and a 64-gallon cart for trash. The new alternate service is $28.12 per month. The following table shows the proposed updated rates for the next five years. Each rate change will take effect on July 1 of the respective year.
| Alternate Level | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 | FY 2029 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64-Gallon Solid Waste Service | $28.12 | $32.34 | $35.25 | $38.25 | $41.21 |
 | $ Change | $4.22 | $2.91 | $3.00 | $2.96 |
City of Fresno residential waste customers can request additional carts for use at their homes. The following table shows the current charges for additional carts and the proposed updated rate for each additional cart.
| Additional Carts | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 | FY 2029 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64-Gallon Trash Cart (Gray) | $5.50 | $6.33 | $6.90 | $7.49 | $8.07 |
 | $ Change | $0.83 | $0.57 | $0.59 | $0.58 |
| 96-Gallon Trash Cart (Gray) | $8.26 | $9.50 | $10.36 | $11.24 | $12.11 |
 | $ Change | $1.24 | $0.86 | $0.88 | $0.87 |
| 96-Gallon Recycling Cart (Blue) | $3.47 | $3.99 | $4.35 | $4.72 | $5.09 |
 | $ Change | $0.52 | $0.36 | $0.37 | $0.37 |
| 96-Gallon Organics Cart (Green) | $4.95 | $5.69 | $6.20 | $6.73 | $7.25 |
 | $ Change | $0.74 | $0.51 | $0.53 | $0.52 |
Solid Waste Rate Comparison
Even with the rate update, Fresno’s residential solid waste remain among the lowest in California and are comparable to rates for surrounding Central Valley cities. According to rate information collected in May 2023, Fresno’s current rates are significantly less than the cities of Madera, Clovis and Selma, and are approximately half the monthly rate of Merced, Modesto and Stockton.
Questions or Comments?
Email questions to [email protected], call 559-621-8218, or call Utilities Billing and Collection at 559-621-6888 for all billing-related inquiries.